Less than a Year Ago
by ChloeAngel
Summary: It's been less than a year since Danny has revealed his identity. Her mind preoccupied by all that's changed and unsure of how she feels about it, Sam wanders off one Christmas night for some air. Will a certain ghost boy be the one to provide the holiday cheer this time around? / Amethyst Ocean one-shot


**A/N**: Hi, all, and welcome to my very first official fanfic! I'm very excited about this! Personally, I enjoy this story. It's full of fluff. It's been locked up in my writing folder for quite a while, but now I'm setting it free just in time for Christmas :) So, my dears; Happy Holidays! May many blessings come your way. And if you have the time, help me grow in my writing and grammatical skills by critiquing if you'd like! Your opinions will assure that my future uploads will be at their highest potential.

In regards to the Manson's holiday traditions and their Jewish faith, from watching "The Freight Before Christmas" I think it's safe to assume that they celebrate both, and since I don't know enough about Hanukkah, I focused on their celebration of Christmas.

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_ "Merry Christmas!" _The Manson family had just finished sharing presents and were now sitting around the living room by the fireplace and lavish Christmas tree. The adults were telling holiday stories and catching up while Sam picked up the torn pieces of wrapping paper scattered around, deciphering whether they were salvageable or if they should be recycled.

"Oooh, macaroons and hot chocolate!," Mrs. Manson squealed. "Doesn't that sound delightful right about now?"

"Oh, what a great idea! I'll help brew the cocoa," agreed her husband. The cheery couple scurried to the kitchen, leaving Sam alone with a load of wrapping paper and her beloved grandmother.

More than anything, Sam wanted to be alone right now rather than stuck here cleaning up after everyone and listening to her parents' ramblings. There were a lot of things going through her mind and she couldn't think with the house's lively atmosphere, something Sam normally cherished around this time of year. Tonight, though, her spirits weren't at their usual holiday high. The dark night air kept calling out to her, inviting her to take a walk around the town, and Sam could only eye the window in response feeling stuck.

Grandma Manson, knowing Sam better than anyone else, noticed her distraction throughout the night and thought up a window of opportunity. "Go now, bubbeleh, or you'll miss your chance to sneak away."

Sam looked at her grandmother with large eyes. "Huh?"

"You want to get out of here, don't you? Now's your chance, dearie. Go on before Mr. and Mrs. Sunshine get back," the elderly woman winked.

Sam smiled and dropped the festive wrappings. She kissed Grandma Manson on the top of her head, giving a quiet 'thank you', and grabbed her black winter coat and purple scarf before hastily leaving.

Pamela and Jeremy Manson entered the room with a plate of red and green macaroons and four steaming cups of hot cocoa. "Oh my, where's Sammykins?," inquired Pam, eyeing the room curiously.

"Bathroom," Grandma Manson answered simply, harboring the smile of a sneaky child. Mr. and Mrs. Manson shared a confused glance.

Outside the front door, Sam was buttoning her coat as she left the front porch and started down the street. Everything was covered with thick layers of fresh snow as the snowflakes continued to gracefully dance down. Imprints of car tracks lined the streets, and mushy footprints were dotted along the sidewalks, yet the town was empty. All of Amity's citizens were inside their homes celebrating, except for one certain individualist, and she was glad for that. She walked around aimlessly, admiring the Christmas lights and decorations and the shine they made on the covers of snow.

Suddenly she came upon a building that was casting ridiculous brightness and flashing colors around her. She squinted to see who would've went all out with the décor and read the lit sign above. Dripping with packed snow, the sign read 'Fenton Works'.

Seeing the building, Sam realized just how much she wanted to see Danny. She was walking up the steps to knock on the door when she stopped herself. What was she planning to do? Interrupt his family's special time and do what? Stroll in and say she needed to be with Danny for no reason she could put her finger on? Right. She bit her lip and pondered her options. In the end, she stuffed her hands inside her pockets and left.

Fifteen minutes or so passed and her feet had carried her into the town's square to the base of a small hill. On its peak was a frozen, bare tree. She remembered the special spot and glowed inside. After staring up at it for while, the memory of her and Danny watching his ceremony in her head, she started making her way up. From the top, in front of the glistening solitary tree, she scanned over the town. The statue of Danny Phantom holding the world in his palm, now overtaken by sheer blankets of slipping snow, caught her gaze. Without taking her eyes off the marble wonder she sat down and rested her back against the tree, reminiscing over all the events that had led up to this point.

It must have peaked around half an hour when she was wishing that she had brought gloves and a hat as the bitter temperature bit at her fingers and glided through her hair. She sat with her hands curled against her mouth, holding onto the cuffs of her sleeves, when a voice made its presence known. "Sam?"

From the corner of her eye a flash of light faded out as Amity Park's hero morphed from Phantom to Fenton. The boy carefully walked over to her side from where he stood beside the tree and sat down.

"Hello there," the goth greeted, her eyes remaining fixated to the town in front of her.

"Hi. What are you doing out here? Shouldn't you be with your family?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"Well," he said casually, "I do have a job to do. You know, being a hero and all."

"Fair enough," she smirked.

After some time of the two enjoying the calm of Christmas night, Danny answered the unspoken question. "Even though I don't have to patrol thanks to that ghost treaty, I can't let my guard down. It's odd to just take for granted that everyone will be safe; that no ghost will cause any mischief. It should be comforting, but if anything it puts me on edge," he trailed off, looking at the ground.

Sam looked over at her companion, the half-ghost teen sitting with his knees pulled up to his chest and his chin resting on his arms that laid on top of them. She smiled at his confession and returned her gaze to the starry sky. "Isn't it all so crazy? How much things have changed?"

He directed his attention to her, peeking at his true love with watchful eyes. She continued, "Less than a year ago, no one knew about you or your secret. Less than a year ago, there wasn't a statue of you mounted in every corner of the world. Less than a year ago, the three of us could walk around unnoticed, but look at us now. Everything's changed, and I can't decide how I feel about it."

Danny only blinked, his silence giving her permission to finish her thoughts. "I guess I still haven't gotten used to all of this. So, since everyone is inside their homes having a jolly old time, I took the opportunity to get away for a bit and soak in this peace we get once a year. You know, to think for a while."

Only the chilled air replied, embedding itself under their heavily covered skin. Sam closed her eyes and nuzzled her nose under the fleece protection of her scarf. As she slipped back to her thoughts she absentmindedly twisted the blue-stoned ring Danny had given her when they became official.

"I get it," Danny said, his eyes directed far off in the distance. "I know what you're feeling and even more. I'm not sure how I feel about it, either. I miss being able to walk around without being pestered or praised. I'm still uneasy being under the spotlight. If anything, I'm terrified. It's like everybody is waiting for me to mess up. I'm literally carrying the world on my shoulders."

"Impressive vocabulary, Fenton," Sam threw in lightheartedly, not able to hold back her wits and hoping to brighten his mood.

"Thanks," Danny smiled. When she returned a half grin he looked down and continued his venting, his face returning to a troubling one of somber. "I.. I ended our chances of living a normal teen life. We don't have the time to relax and play video games or hang out like normal at the Nasty Burger or even the arcade. All the sudden my face is plastered everywhere, and your names are all known, too. We're not the nobodies at school anymore, but a lot of the times I wish we were.

At the same token, it's a relief to not have to hide from anyone, especially my parents. Your parents accept me more, Mr. Lancer can't bother us about schoolwork, and we're not even bullied. If anything, we're appreciated."

Sam watched him as he stared at the ground, giving him the time he needed to conjure up his thoughts. After a minute or two his aura changed, his face gaining an almost-smile and his eyes growing soft.

"There's one thing that makes it all worth it, though, no matter what happens," he explained.

"And what's that?," she smiled at him, curious as to what could be the thing that makes it all okay for him. He looked over at her.

"I got you out of it. If all of this hadn't happen..." His eyes returned down as he confessed the words, "I might have never got the chance to fall in love with you. I've thought about how things would be if I hadn't met you and I push them away. I don't like what I come up with when I do. I really couldn't imagine not having you in my life, Sam, and I don't want to."

He looked back up at her to examine her expression. Her face was blank but her eyes were brimmed with pre-born tears. They were looking inside him as if asking for directions on how to respond. He complied by leaning in and laying a hand on her left cheek, numbly brushing away the loose strands of her short raven hair with his thumb. They both smiled as their noses and foreheads touched.

Danny, repeating their favorite words and personal promise, continued, "This whole ride we've been on together? I wouldn't change it for the world-"

"Not one bit," she finished, giving a chuckle of joy.

Their lips joined in a gentle and dominant hold, assuring the other that everything would be okay. Sam eventually inched herself close enough to grasp the front of his jacket, her hands holding onto his chest while his own protectively cupped her face. Their familiar lips refused to leave the other's haven. Together they felt so secure, so unstoppable, like they could overcome anything. That was probably why they've made it so far in their lives - because of their mutual continuous support, and they knew it.

When they broke apart they remained just as close, both refusing to move a decimal of an inch. The two were face-to-blushing-face, looking into each other's eyes contently. Sam's smile beamed as her mood inevitably heightened in that way only Danny could achieve, and his spirits lifted in return.

"Less than a year ago, I wouldn't have been able to do that," Danny smiled.


End file.
